1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method for updating firmware of computer device, and more particularly to a method for updating firmware of computer device to write the newer firmware into the computer memory twice.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The current firmware upgrade technology is performed by the computer special software (initial program) along with the firmware. Said software will read the upgraded firmware data directly, and transmit it to the computer device via variable interfaces. Such computer device will delete the original firmware in the computer memory first and write the new firmware data into its memory so as to finish upgrading and updating the firmware.
FIG. 1 illustrates the above procedure. The original firmware has saved in the computer memory in the step 10 first. Then, in the step 11, the original firmware will be deleted from the computer memory, and finally the new firmware from external device will be installed to the computer memory in the step 12. However, many uncertain events during the step from 10 to 12, such as the power failure, will result in the damage to the computer device.
The disadvantage of this technology is that if the power failure or other uncertain events happen upon upgrading and updating the firmware such that it causes a failure in writing the upgraded firmware, the original firmware in the memory can be destroyed or deleted, and the upgraded firmware is not completely installed in the computer memory yet. Therefore, such computer device will not function normally.
In general, the firmware, as the hybrid of the computer software and the hardware, is the hardware device with the predetermined program. In other words, the software recorded in the hardware is the firmware. For example, BIOS, recorded in the ROM on the motherboard should be implemented in order to turn on the computer before. Such BIOS, which can be modified only by the special burn-in machine, is one kind of the firmware. In addition to the ROM, the firmware can be stored in PROM, EPROM, EEPROM or other programmable ROM. The programs recorded in ROM are usually named the microprograms. In present, the content of many firmwares in EPROM can be modified by the software (initial program). For example, the microprogram in the flash BIOS of the motherboard or modem can be modified by the initial program.